However, after fierce resistance from middle-class members of parliament and the canton’s economic department – due to concerns about the slowdown in public transport – the city abandoned the idea of nationwide introduction. Tempo 30 should apply in many places, but only on selected Zurich streets.
Lots of discussion material in Basel
What failed in Zurich is now taking the first hurdle in Basel-Stadt: on Wednesday, the Basel Grand Council commissioned the Government Council to develop a concept for the introduction of Tempo 30 in Basel. Politicians from the Greens, the SP and the Green Liberals brought this proposal to the table.
Basta councilor Heidi Mück passionately supported the initiative in the council debate: “I know what I’m talking about. When the 30 km/h speed limit was introduced in my residential street, it was like a Christmas present for all residents». Unsurprisingly, the motion was discussed long and hard in the council. A deep ditch opened up between red-green and the bourgeois factions.
Structural measures would probably be needed to enforce this, which in turn would impede traffic even more.
Beat Schaller, SVP Grand Councilor, pointed out numerous problems that could arise with the introduction of Tempo 30: “To enforce it, additional structural measures would probably be needed, which in turn would impede traffic even more.” The fear that public transport or medical services could be slowed down by the speed reduction was expressed several times.
Legend:
The debate in the Basel Grand Council about 30 km/h lasted a long time and was emotional.
key stone
Central politician Balz Herter gave examples from his everyday life as a firefighter: “I experienced it again recently: Alone on the way to the fire department magazine, we get stuck and are already late because of the traffic to our deployment sites.”
Basel-Stadt wants to press ahead
In the end, however, the Ratslefte together with the GLP prevailed against the resistance of the bourgeois factions. The motion was passed to the government by 50 votes to 44 with 3 abstentions. The responsible construction and traffic director Esther Keller (GLP) was ready on behalf of the government council to accept the request for reporting.
Today’s discussion has shown that there are still many open questions.
She admitted that the implementation of a nationwide Tempo 30 would not be an easy task: “Today’s discussion has shown that there are still many open questions.” All of those should be clarified in the next few months before the Basel Grand Council finally decides on Tempo 30. The topic is currently being discussed in many other Swiss cities. Because: By the end of 2022, the limit values of the Noise Protection Ordinance to the Environmental Protection Act are complied with.